Image read-out and processing apparatus having a parameter correction circuit

Abstract

An image read-out and processing apparatus comprises an image read-out section, which carries out a preliminary readout and a final readout, and an image processing section. In the final readout, the amount of light irradiated to an image storage sheet, on which an image has been recorded, and/or the light accumulation time of a photoelectric conversion device is adjusted appropriately in accordance with preliminary read-out image information obtained from the preliminary readout. The image processing section is provided with a color and density correcting device for correcting the final read-out image information such that the color and the density of the image may become appropriate, and for determining the degree of correction, which is carried out on the final read-out image information, in accordance with a parameter, which is set in accordance with the preliminary read-out image information. A parameter correcting device corrects the parameter in accordance with the final read-out image information.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An image read-out and processing apparatus comprising: i) an image read-out section for: carrying out a preliminary read-out operation by irradiating light, which has been produced by a light source, to an image storage sheet, on which an image has been recorded, and by detecting the light carrying image information representing the image, which light has passed through the image storage sheet or has been reflected by the image storage sheet, with a photoelectric conversion means, the image information being detected under read-out conditions, in which the amount of light irradiated to the image storage sheet and/or the light accumulation time of the photoelectric conversion means is set to be equal to a predetermined value, and   carrying out a final read-out operation by irradiating light, which has been produced by a light source, to the image storage sheet and by detecting the light carrying the image information representing the image, which light has passed through the image storage sheet or has been reflected by the image storage sheet, with a photoelectric conversion means, final read-out image information being thereby obtained, the amount of light irradiated to the image storage sheet and/or the light accumulation time of the photoelectric conversion means being adjusted appropriately in the final read-out operation in accordance with preliminary read-out image information, which has been obtained from the preliminary read-out operation, and     ii) an image processing section provided with a color and density correcting means for correcting the final read-out image information such that the color and the density of the image may become appropriate, and for determining the degree of correction, which is carried out on the final read-out image information, in accordance with a parameter, which is set in accordance with the preliminary read-out image information, wherein the image read-out and processing apparatus further comprises a parameter correcting means for correcting the parameter in accordance with the final read-out image information.     
     
     
       2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the adjustment of the amount of light irradiated to the image storage sheet and/or the light accumulation time of the photoelectric conversion means is carried out in accordance with a value corresponding to the minimum image density of the image, which value is represented by the preliminary read-out image information. 
     
     
       3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein the image read-out section is constituted such that, in cases where said value corresponding to said minimum image density of the image, which value is represented by the preliminary read-out image information, is larger than a predetermined threshold value, the image read-out section may appropriately adjust the amount of light irradiated to the image storage sheet and/or the light accumulation time of the photoelectric conversion means in accordance with said value corresponding to said minimum image density and may thereby again carry out a preliminary read-out operation. 
     
     
       4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the adjustment of the amount of light irradiated to the image storage sheet is carried out with an expotential curve stop, and the correction of color and density is carried out by adding the final read-out image information and a correction value, which is set in accordance with the parameter, to each other or by subtracting the final read-out image information and said correction value from each other. 
     
     
       5. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the correction of color and density is carried out in accordance with the difference between the final read-out image information and the preliminary read-out image information. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said difference between the final read-out image information and the preliminary read-out image information is the difference between a value corresponding to the minimum image density of the image, which value is represented by the final read-out image information, and said value corresponding to the minimum image density of the image, which value is represented by the preliminary read-out image information. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said difference between the final read-out image information and the preliminary read-out image information is the difference between the mean value of the final read-out image information and the mean value of the preliminary read-out image information. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said difference between the final read-out image information and the preliminary read-out image information is the difference between the median value of the final read-out image information and the median value of the preliminary read-out image information. 
     
     
       9. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein the adjustment of the amount of light irradiated to the image storage sheet is carried out with an exponential curve stop, and the correction of color and density is carried out by adding the final read-out image information and a correction value, which is set in accordance with the parameter, to each other or by subtracting the final read-out image information and said correction value from each other. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein the correction of color and density is carried out in accordance with the difference between the final read-out image information and the preliminary read-out image information. 
     
     
       11. An apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said difference between the final read-out image information and the preliminary read-out image information is the difference between a value corresponding to the minimum image density of the image, which value is represented by the final read-out image information, and said value corresponding to the minimum image density of the image, which value is represented by the preliminary read-out image information. 
     
     
       12. An apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said difference between the final read-out image information and the preliminary read-out image information is the difference between the mean value of the final read-out image information and the mean value of the preliminary read-out image information. 
     
     
       13. An apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said difference between the final read-out image information and the preliminary read-out image information is the difference between the median value of the final read-out image information and the median value of the preliminary read-out image information. 
     
     
       14. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the image read-out section is constituted such that, in cases where a value corresponding to the minimum image density of the image, which value is represented by the preliminary read-out image information, is larger than a predetermined threshold value, the image read-out section may appropriately adjust the amount of light irradiated to the image storage sheet and/or the light accumulation time of the photoelectric conversion means in accordance with said value corresponding to said minimum image density and may thereby again carry out a preliminary read-out operation. 
     
     
       15. An apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein the adjustment of the amount of light irradiated to the image storage sheet is carried out with an exponential curve stop, and the correction of color and density is carried out by adding the final read-out image information and a correction value, which is set in accordance with the parameter, to each other or by subtracting the final read-out image information and said correction value from each other. 
     
     
       16. An apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein the correction of color and density is carried out in accordance with the difference between the final read-out image information and the preliminary read-out image information. 
     
     
       17. An apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein said difference between the final read-out image information and the preliminary read-out image information is the difference between a value corresponding to the minimum image density of the image, which value is represented by the final read-out image information, and said value corresponding to the minimum image density of the image, which value is represented by the preliminary read-out image information. 
     
     
       18. An apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein said difference between the final read-out image information and the preliminary read-out image information is the difference between the mean value of the final read-out image information and the mean value of the preliminary read-out image information. 
     
     
       19. An apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein said difference between the final read-out image information and the preliminary read-out image information is the difference between the median value of the final read-out image information and the median value of the preliminary read-out image information. 
     
     
       20. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the adjustment of the amount of light irradiated to the image storage sheet is carried out with an exponential curve stop, and the correction of color and density is carried out by adding the final read-out image information and a correction value, which is set in accordance with the parameter, to each other or by subtracting the final read-out image information and said correction value from each other. 
     
     
       21. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the correction of color and density is carried out in accordance with the difference between the final read-out image information and the preliminary read-out image information. 
     
     
       22. An apparatus as defined in claim 21 wherein said difference between the final read-out image information and the preliminary read-out image information is the difference between a value corresponding to the minimum image density of the image, which value is represented by the final read-out image information, and a value corresponding to the minimum image density of the image, which value is represented by the preliminary read-out image information. 
     
     
       23. An apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said difference between the final read-out image information and the preliminary read-out image information is the difference between the mean value of the final read-out image information and the mean value of the preliminary read-out image information. 
     
     
       24. An apparatus as defined in claim 21 wherein said difference between the final read-out image information and the preliminary read-out image information is the difference between the median value of the final read-out image information and the median value of the preliminary read-out image information. 
     
     
       25. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein a single light source serves as both the light source for the preliminary read-out operation and the light source for the final read-out operation, and a single photoelectric conversion means serves as both the photoelectric conversion means for the preliminary read-out operation and the photoelectric conversion means for the final read-out operation.